Queen Ann Lock

[rdillion]

Have any of you guys had any experience with L&R's Queen Ann Lock. I"m trying to put together a list for a future build. I plan on using a 50 cal swamped barrel. Just wondering how this lock performs.

 

[billd]

I have one that works well, but it's twenty years old. Their newer stuff hasn't been as good. Look at Chamber's Colonial Fowler Lock. Can't go wrong.

Bill

 

[RC]

I have one on my smoothie...works great! but it is a big lock.. 5 9/16 x 1 1/16... depending on what yer buildin,,, :wink: looks great on the smoothie, but a "thinner" rifle... :hmm:

 

[J.D.]

IMHO, the style of lock needs to fit the style of the rifle you plan to build. There is also a size relationship between the width of a lock and dia of the barrel, at the breech.

IMHO, a thin barrel and a large lock will look waaayy out of proportion. Moreover, a large lock on a gun with a light barrel will produce a noticeable torque as the hammer drops.

So, the question, in my mind is, what style of rifle do you plan to build?

God bless

 

[rdillion]

This planned rifle will have strong Southern mountain influences. As far as style, it won't be a copy of anything in particular except maybe a rifle I saw made by Chuck Edwards. I am working on developing my own "style". So far that means steel mountings, no nose cap or entry ramrod pipe, and a sliding wooded patchbox. I prefer to make the furniture myself although I am no blacksmith. I can make a pretty decent square bow triggerguard out of one piece of steel. I've been making my own rear and front sights. My personal fronts sight blade is 1/8" wide. That's so I can see the dang thing. I like to use as few screws as possible and am looking into making those myself also. On my last rifle I attached the toeplate with two copper nails That I fabricated out of some copper ground wire.

 

[RC]

Well, if yer handy (seems you is!) and yer makin yer own style how bout..
http://www.flintlocks.com/locks6.htm

gunmakers lock..either kit or assembled, but you craft the plate... jus a thought... and it's a chambers :thumbsup:

 

[J.D.]

Sounds like you are a talented person to make all of those parts.

IMHO, Southern mountain guns are pretty late for a round face lock. IMHO, a Chambers late Ketland would be more appropriate for an 1790 or later gun, which is the time period for Southern mountain rifles.

Chuck sure does have the English style guns down, doesn't he. His guns are a variation of the "Woodberry school" of modern interpretation of southern schools.

IMHO, Chuck's guns show more inspiration from original guns than most Woodberry guns. Some of Chuck's work is pretty close to the originals that provide inspiration for his work. Some, not so much.

I haven't used the L&R Queen Anne lock, so I can't give an honest critique. I know that Chuck sometimes uses them, but I don't know how much work he puts into them.

I seem to remember someone mentioning that the Queen Anne lock had a problem of catching on the half cock notch. I handled one of Chuck's guns, with a Queen Anne lock, at the trade faire a coupla years ago. That lock caught on the half cock notch, especially when the cock was let down gently. Otherwise, I don't know enough about them to comment.


God bless

 

[rdillion]

Thanks guys. I'll check out that Va lock. As far as being handy, I grew up with a Dad who refused to buy anything he couldn't make himself. I've seen him spend half a day building a woodworking jig that he could have bought for $25. I worked for ten years doing sheet metal fab. and welding. My current employer has a lot of tool and die makers who help me out with valuable info. I've made several knifes and even forged one blade myself with a friend's help. I'll tell you that is harder than it looks. I'll try to post some photos of my last rifle build. :hatsoff:

 

[J.D.]

Forging knives isn't all that hard. However, it"s like everything else, while there is learning curve, once that curve has peaked, it's all down hill from there. :wink:

My first knife took all afternoon to forge. My last took 20 minutes, but all of the fussing over refinement took another half hour. :grin:

Please do post photos of you last build. I like gun porn. :shocked2: :grin:

God bless

 

[rdillion]

In the TOTW catalog I found a late Ketland lock by R.E. Davis and a classic Ketland by Chambers. I really like the looks of the classic Ketland and may use it on this future build and it is by Chambers which IMHO says a lot.

 

[oldarmy]

Just so you know
"Woodberry school" should be "Woodbury school"
Might be an old relative.. Thought most of them were here in the North East, but must have been a few wandering souls :hmm:
I liked the L&R English, but for a few extra dollars go with the Chambers.. They are one of the best commercial locks available these days

 

[tg]

I have had two and with a bit of tuning they were solid performing locks, they represent an early lock style which would not be likely to be on a late period gun unless scavanged as salvage, which was done, as most have said Chambers has locks to cover most time periods and they are well made and have a great track record,The larger locks do look out of place on some thin styled guns.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I have an early Lancaster rifle that tg built with a Queen Anne lock and a 50 cal swamped barrel. It's a beautiful rifle with a very slender forearm and the Queen Anne lock works flawlessly.

Recently sent the lock back to L&R because I lost the frizzen spring. They put a new one on for the price of the part ($12 plus $6 shipping) and had it back to me inside of 5 days of when I sent it. They went through the lock while they had it to see if it needed anything else. It didn't and they said, "nice lock!".

The only thing you should be careful of is if it fit's into the time period of your rifle. It's an early lock, but my rifle is an Early Lancaster, so it's perfect for that.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:

 

[fort fireman]

I have a L&R Queen Anne on my fowler I built. It works well . I did some extra polishing on the tumbler and springs and such and it works well.

 

[Samuel]

I put one on my Virginia Rifle I built 2years ago and it has worked flawlessly and it get quite abit of use, as far as size it looks right with my B weight 50 cal 44 inch Barrel I used pecatonica's Virginia Stock